In South Africa, rescuers have pulled out 60 bodies and 106 survivors from an illegal gold mine during two days of rescue operations. Police said the rescue operations are underway as hundreds could still be underground but the exact number is unclear. In the statement, authorities confirmed that those rescued have since been arrested. Among those arrested  are 67 from Mozambique, 26 from Lesotho, and 11 from Zimbabwe, in addition to two South African nationals.

In August last year, Police began a crackdown on illegal miners in the country. They laid siege to the mine and cut off food and water supplies for months in an attempt to force the miners to the surface. In South Africa, illegal mining is rampant in commercially abandoned sites by unlicensed miners.